1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to the field of gear supports and, more particularly, to an adjustable gear support bracket which is formed using a simple die-stamping process.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many devices require a form of mounting or support for a toothed gear which is driven by a worm gear. For example, in an electricity meter, the shaft supporting the eddy disk has a worm gear formed thereon for meshing with a toothed gear. Motion of the eddy disk turns the shaft and worm gear, which then causes the toothed gear to turn. The toothed gear is linked to a mechanical register via a gear train for displaying the measured electrical power or energy. Since electrical energy or power must be accurately measured it is necessary that the worm gear and toothed gear mesh precisely and there is not too much free play or friction between them.
In conventional designs, one end of the shaft supporting the toothed gear is fixed while the other end is mounted to a plate which can slide in a direction toward or away from the worm gear. The sliding plate is attached to a bracket formed as part of the register support and is adjusted by a means of a slotted eccentric bolt or rivet mounted to the support bracket and engaging the slot of the gear support. Turning the eccentric bolt with a screwdriver causes the sliding plate and gear to be moved toward or away from the worm gear thus adjusting the mesh depth between the toothed gear and the worm gear. Once the proper depth has been set, a set screw, which rides in a slot on the sliding plate and is threadedly mounted to the bracket, is tightened.
It will be appreciated that the foregoing arrangement, and similar arrangements using set screws and separate supporting brackets, are complex and require a number of separate components to be assembled together and adjusted in order to properly set the desired mesh depth of the toothed gear with the worm gear.